Today in the laboratory of the "Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center" SNCO, the event for the presentation of the results of the "Friends of Sevan" project was held, which is carried out with the support of the "Environmental Protection of Lake Sevan" (EU4Sevan) program, co-financed by the European Union and the German government, by the NGO "Environment and Health". The goal of the project is to raise the awareness of young people, contributing to the protection of the environment and the restoration of the ecosystem of Lake Sevan. During its 2 stages, the program included schools and young people from 54 settlements of Gegharkunik region, with whom various awareness activities were carried out.
During the first phase, the project worked with more than 500 students, from which the most active participants of the project were selected and continued to work with professionals, forming groups and developing their project ideas for the protection of the lake.
As a result, at an event held in December 2022, 5 winning project groups were selected to participate in the second phase of the program.
Groups of 25 students and teachers continued their participation in the program, training in project development and management, receiving professional support from industry experts, gaining the appropriate skills and knowledge to implement their projects.
At the same time, the "Friends of Sevan" project team continued to carry out outreach activities, involving new schools and children.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Environment of RA Aram Meymaryan, Head of the EU Delegation, Ambassador Vasilis Maragos, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Armenia Victor Richter, Director of the Armenian Office of the Armenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Madeleine Rauschenberger, Head of EU4Sevan Project Christian Henschel. The guests of the event made speeches and emphasized the role of ecological education and the involvement of young people in the process of solving environmental problems.
“Environmental education plays an important role in helping us develop a sustainable mindset. It helps develop critical thinking, the ability to analyze and make informed decisions considering the consequences of our behavior on nature. Such education helps us understand the importance of preserving biodiversity and ecosystems for the well-being of all mankind. In addition, environmental education promotes civic involvement and responsibility," said Deputy Minister Aram Meymaryan in his speech and thanked his colleagues for the work done.
During the event, the five winning project teams presented their projects, which were further refined in the second phase of the program thanks to numerous trainings and work with experts. After the presentations of the programs, the students toured the laboratory of the "Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center" SNCO and got acquainted with the process of water monitoring.
The EU4Sevan project is jointly funded by the European Union and the German government and is implemented by the German Federal Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) as part of the ECOServe project and UNDP.